Press Release 24/07/2024
INFORMATION SOCIETY SURVEY. COMPANIES. 2024
E-commerce sales exceeded 30 thousand million euros for the first time in the Basque Country in 2023
24.3% of e-commerce sales were destined for private consumers, doubling the values from the early 2000s
For the first time, e-commerce sales exceed 30 thousand million euros in the Basque Country in 2023 following a 12.8% increase, according to Eustat data.
Indeed, sales via the internet or other electronic systems have registered uninterrupted growth year after year since 2002, the first year that data became available. These new increases mean that the figure exceeded thirty thousand million euros (€30,021 million) in 2023, the highest of the available series.
Purchases made via e-commerce amounted to almost 22 thousand million euros (€21,780.3 million), which was also the highest value and up 10.7% on those observed in 2022.
It is estimated that, on average, electronic sales accounted for 45.7% of the total sales made by establishments that made electronic sales. In turn, electronic purchases represented 36.3% of the total purchases made by companies using e-commerce in 2023.
Regarding the percentage of establishments in the Basque Country which used e-commerce in the Basque Country, this reached 29.2%, representing some forty-five thousand eight hundred establishments. This percentage was 0.5 percentage points up on the previous year.
Purchases and sales through e-commerce in the Basque Country, by province and employment stratum (millions of euros). 2022-2023
| | Purchases | Sales |
| | 2022 | 2023 | Increase % | 2022 | 2023 | Increase % |
| Basque Country | 19.673,1 | 21.780,3 | 10,7 | 26.608,4 | 30.021,0 | 12,8 |
| Araba/Álava | 3.322,4 | 3.671,3 | 10,5 | 7.404,0 | 8.334,1 | 12,6 |
| Bizkaia | 10.108,1 | 11.075,9 | 9,6 | 10.227,0 | 11.634,9 | 13,8 |
| Gipuzkoa | 6.242,5 | 7.033,1 | 12,7 | 8.977,4 | 10.051,9 | 12,0 |
| | | | | | | |
| employment strata | | | | | | |
| 0 - 9 | 5.720,4 | 6.043,0 | 5,6 | 4.575,2 | 5.074,3 | 10,9 |
| >=10 | 13.952,7 | 15.737,2 | 12,8 | 22.033,2 | 24.946,7 | 13,2 |
Date July 24, 2024
Source: Eustat. Survey on the information society. Companies
At the provincial level, in terms of e-commerce sales, there was growth of more than double digits in all three provinces, with increases of 12.6% in Álava, 13.8% in Bizkaia and 12.0% in Gipuzkoa. In e-commerce purchases, Gipuzkoa stands out with a 12.7% increase, followed by Álava with 10.5% and Bizkaia with 9.6%.
As regards the weight of each of the provinces, Bizkaia accounted for 38.8% of the Basque Country total, whereas Gipuzkoa and Álava contributed 33.5% and 27.8% respectively. In purchases, on the other hand, the participation was more disparate, with Bizkaia accounting for 50.9% of the total in 2023, whereas Gipuzkoa represented 32.3%, and Álava saw the remaining 16.9% of electronic purchases in the Basque Country overall.
On the other hand, in terms of size, it was establishments with 10 or more employees in which large sums of money were traded in e-commerce, accounting for 83.1% of electronic sales and 72.3% of total electronic purchases.
Furthermore, the percentage of establishments that participated in e-commerce stood at 29.2% in 2023, up 0.5 percentage points on the previous year. This increase is based on those who purchase electronically (26.3%), up 0.6 percentage points compared to the previous year, and, to a lesser degree, on those who make electronic sales (8.8%), rising 0.3 percentage points.
Establishments that carry out e-commerce in the Basque Country (%). 2001-2023
| | 2001 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
| Total establishments | | | | | | | | |
| e-commerce | 3,0 | 10,5 | 15,1 | 26,4 | 26,9 | 28,0 | 28,7 | 29,2 |
| Purchases | 2,7 | 9,6 | 14,2 | 23,9 | 24,0 | 25,0 | 25,7 | 26,3 |
| Sales | 0,4 | 1,9 | 3,9 | 6,5 | 7,6 | 8,3 | 8,5 | 8,8 |
| % of purchases (1) | 9,6 | 15,5 | 28,1 | 31,3 | 40,2 | 38,3 | 37,2 | 36,3 |
| % of sales (2) | 9,9 | 24,6 | 38,6 | 36,8 | 46,6 | 44,0 | 44,5 | 45,7 |
| | | | | | | | | |
| 10 or more employees | | | | | | | | |
| e-commerce | 6,4 | 19,5 | 23,1 | 30,0 | 33,5 | 35,3 | 39,0 | 40,4 |
| Purchases | 5,1 | 17,3 | 20,3 | 25,3 | 28,9 | 30,2 | 34,8 | 35,8 |
| Sales | 1,8 | 5,1 | 8,5 | 11,4 | 14,2 | 14,9 | 15,7 | 16,3 |
| % of purchases (1) | 4,6 | 10,3 | 24,6 | 31,0 | 34,0 | 35,5 | 34,8 | 35,1 |
| % of sales (2) | 12,7 | 19,4 | 38,4 | 42,6 | 43,3 | 43,2 | 46,6 | 48,1 |
(1)In establishments that make electronic purchases, average % of electronic purchases over total purchases
(2)In establishments that make electronic sales, average % of electronic sales over total sales
Date July 24, 2024
Source: Eustat. Survey on the information society. Companies
Likewise, it can be observed that although the number of establishments purchasing electronically (26.3%) greatly exceeds those selling using the same method (8.8%), the figures for e-commerce sales (30,021.0 million euros) are higher than those for e-commerce purchases (21,780.3 million euros).
These figures vary if the size of the establishments is taken into account in terms of employment. Thus, amongst those with 10 or more employees, 40.4% engaged in e-commerce, 1.4 percentage points up on the previous year. Also in this section there are a greater number making e-commerce purchases (35.8%) than sales through the same channels (16.3%), with both increasing compared to the previous year; 1.0 percentage point for buyers and 0.6 points for sellers.
With regard to the means by which e-commerce purchases were made, 49.5% of total purchases were carried out by email, 27.8% using websites and the remaining 22.7% via EDI and other networks. Regarding e-commerce sales, 34.7% were made through websites, apps or internet sales portals, 28.5% by email and the remaining 36.8% via EDI and other networks.
Period availables
Period availables
24.3% of e-commerce sales were destined for private consumers, doubling the values from the early 2000s
As regards the type of customer to which e-commerce sales were destined in 2023, a large majority, 73.6% of total e-sales, were destined for other companies (so-called B2B trade), 24.3% were for private consumers (B2C) and the remaining 2.1% was spread over other kinds of customers, such as Public Administrations (B2G). Despite the clear dominance of sales to other companies in the total sales figures, the significant development of those destined to private consumers should be noted. Thus, while at the beginning of the 2000s this type of client accounted for just one in every ten euros invoiced electronically, twenty years later it now accounts for one in every four euros.
Period availables
NOTE
Eustat would like to thank all the companies and institutions that have collaborated in preparing this survey, the information for which was gathered between January and April 2024.
For further information:
Eustat - Euskal Estatistika Erakundea / Basque Statistics Institute
C/ Donostia-San Sebastián, 1 01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz
Press Service: servicioprensa@eustat.eus Tel.: 945 01 75 62